In the past year, the office has hosted free salsa lessons, shown some thought-provoking movies, and dished out some great ethnic food. On the surface, it may seem ODEMA exists to enhance the campus’s social life. But, there is so much more to the engaging events that are carefully thought out by ODEMA, in partnership with other campus departments and student groups.

According to James Wallace, director of ODEMA, the office works closely with the academic departments so the content of the programming is parallel with the material covered in courses. Perhaps that is part of the secret: Serve up fun and entertainment, and people will subsequently become more inclusive, accepting and educated about cultures and lifestyles different than their own.

“The programming helps to illustrate and bring life to the concepts students are studying,” Wallace said.

As one example, the campus recently launched its second community-wide reading initiative, “One Book … One Campus … One Community.” Coursework and events are centered on the themes of this year’s read, “The House on Mango Street,” serving to educate both the campus and greater community.

Diversity is really about how we’re similar, not different

Wallace said it’s common to think about diversity programming as celebrating and embracing one’s cultural differences. But really, he likes to think about it as an ongoing discussion about our similarities.

In fact, celebrating our similarities is the theme of much of the programming for the 2013-14 academic year.“We want to create a welcoming environment for all,” Wallace said. “We want to have an environment where all feel welcome and learn and grow and reach their full potential. The programming that we have is designed to celebrate cultures – all cultures.”

Wallace explained that when a person is educated about other cultures and lifestyles, they naturally become more accepting, as opposed to just tolerant of others. Sometimes, however, he said, even the most accepting individuals can make a person feel uncomfortable without even realizing it. Those are the things that are a detriment to others’ academic experiences.

“You might not go out of your way to make someone uncomfortable but sometimes people do things unconsciously and they don’t realize they are doing it, but it has an effect on another individual that causes them not to want to engage,” Wallace said. “Eliminating that spirit is what this programming aims to accomplish.”

The bottom line is student success and helping every student succeed, and thrive.

“When students have more pride in themselves, and they discover there are notable people from their culture who have made contributions to society, they can envision themselves as one of those people, and they tend to do better academically,” Wallace said.

To learn more about diversity programming for IU Northwest, contact The Office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs at (219) 980-6601. Or, visit http://www.iun.edu/diversity.

Indiana University Northwest’s Office of Office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs is proud to announce the lineup of diversity programming events taking place on campus in month of October.

IU Northwest has long been recognized as a regional university with strong diversity values, and the campus is pleased to invite the community to these free events.

October 2:Screening of ‘The Loving Story’

6 p.m.
Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium

This movie screening will tell the account of Richard and Mildred Loving who were arrested in 1958 for violating Virginia’s ban on interracial marriage. Their struggle, culminated in a landmark Supreme Court decision Loving v. Virginia (1967), overturned anti-miscegenation laws in the United States.

The movie screening is made possible through a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities as part of its Created Equal: America’s Civil Rights Struggle Bridging Cultures initiative.

This event isco-sponsored with the Connectionz Club.

October 4 – 5: Connectionz Club LGBT Conference

8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Raintree Hall, various rooms

Attend a two-day conference focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, and Intersex (LGBTQI) topics with workshops, speakers and panel discussions. Workshops on the following topics:

GLBTQI Risk & Protective Factors

Bullying

Coming Out

History

Transgender awareness

HIV/AIDS testing

Self-esteem building

Safe Zone Training (limited space; all interested must R.S.V.P. with James Wallace atjamewall@iun.edu)

The Connectionz Club is an IU Northwest student club and support group that organizes activities and events, all of which add to a greater understanding of gender issues.

October 9: Screening of ‘When Worlds Collide’

6 p.m.
Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium

This film will explore the earth shaking period of when the “Old World” (Spain) first encountered the “New World” (Central America) and details the creation of the new Mestizo culture.

In 1492, two worlds that for thousands of years had developed independently suddenly came into contact. In the following decades, those two worlds painfully and haltingly began to merge. The story of ‘When Worlds Collide’ examines power, religion, wealth, and the nature of identity and ethnicity in the Americas right up to our current times.

This event is in collaboration with the Latino Studies Program and Department of Minority Studies.

October 10: Asia Day

12 – 1:30 p.m.
Moraine Student Center

Asia Day offers a closer look at the culture, foods, music, costumes and dances from Asian countries. The free event provides foods from Asia, henna and entertainment to promote cultural and global diversity. Asia Day has been an annual event at IU Northwest since 2005.

The event is co-sponsored by the School of Business and Economics and Department of Computer information Systems, as well as the Asian-American Student Association and the Office of Student Activities.

October 14 – 25: National Clothesline Project Exhibit

Moraine Student Center

Come and view The Clothesline Project, a t-shirt exhibit intended to educate, break the silence, and bear witness to violence against women.

The idea behind the Clothesline Project came from the concept that doing laundry was considered women’s work. This meant that women hung their clothes to dry while conversing with neighbors. Although it was once considered shameful to air one’s dirty laundry about domestic issues, the Clothesline Project is intended to raise awareness about gender violence and give expression to silenced voices.

The exhibited t-shirts will be designed by IU Northwest students, staff and faculty giving women an opportunity to express their stories and/or honor a survivor or victim through words and artwork.

This event is in collaboration with the Women’s and Gender Studies Program.

October 17: Alma Boriquena

6 p.m.
Savannah Center Lobby and Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium

Experience a night of Puerto Rican history and culture. There will cultural performances of music, dance and storytelling

This event is in collaboration with the Latino Studies Program and Department of Minority Studies.

October 24: Screening of ‘Precious Knowledge’

6:30 p.m.
Bruce W. Bergland Auditorium

This film explores the story of the Mexican American studies program that was banned by the State of Arizona. Sean Arce, a teacher and former director of the program, will speak about the on-going struggle of students, teachers, and community to reinstate the program.

This event is sponsored by the Department of Minority Studies and student groups ALMA and Black Student Union and the African-American and Latino Studies programs.

7 p.m.
Performance at Wirt Emerson High School in Gary

The Pacific Mambo Orchestra is a 19-Piece Latin Big Band that plays Salsa, Mambo, Latin Jazz and Cha Cha. PMO plays the music of Latin giants such as Machito, Tito Puente, Celia Cruz and many others and includes those rich traditions with their own contemporary and original arrangements.

This event is co-hosted with the Department of Minority Studies and student groups ALMA and Black Student Union the African-American and Latino Studies programs.

For more information on any event in October, please contact James Wallace, Director of the Office of Diversity, Equity and Multicultural Affairs at (219) 980-6601 or jamewall@iun.edu.

For information about parking at IU Northwest, including a practice for issuing temporary visitors’ permits, please visit http://www.iun.edu/parking/.